Regaining control over your life and health after substance abuse often begins with a crucial step: detoxification. For those battling Xanax dependence, the path to recovery requires professional support. At Harmony Ridge Recovery Center, we offer specialized detox services designed to address the complexities of withdrawing from benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are a category of drugs known for their potential for addiction despite their therapeutic benefits. Understanding what to expect at a Xanax detox center in West Virginia is vital for anyone considering this significant step toward recovery. Whether you’re facing the challenges of addiction head-on or supporting a loved one through their process, this article offers insights into the journey ahead.
What Is Xanax?
Xanax is the commercial name for alprazolam, a drug that belongs to a class of benzodiazepines, or “benzos,” for short. Other popular benzodiazepines include clonazepam and diazepam. Benzos are CNS depressants. CNS stands for Central Nervous System. This means benzodiazepines like Xanax can induce feelings of sedation and relaxation.
Benzodiazepines are a popular family of drugs for people who experience anxiety, insomnia, and panic disorders. They are also highly effective. This is why many psychiatrists prescribe them. However, there is a huge downside.
Benzos are often a subject of abuse. They are particularly prevalent among people in high-stress jobs, such as doctors and first respondents. Alprazolam, for instance, is popular among doctors because it acts very quickly. That also makes it highly addictive, especially when more than 4 mg is taken daily or any quantity is taken for over six months. Self-medicating is dangerous even if you are a doctor and think you know what you are doing.
Should You Detox from Xanax at Home?
Should you want to go off Xanax, quitting cold turkey is an extremely bad idea. This is so because withdrawal symptoms for this drug may be even worse than the symptoms that led you to see your psychiatrist in the first place. According to American Addiction Centers, these are some of the most common withdrawal symptoms, but it is not an exhaustive list:
- anxiety
- panic attacks
- insomnia and other sleep issues
- hyperventilation
- muscle spasms and tremors
- loss of appetite, which can make existing EDs and other health conditions worse
- sweating
- hypersensitivity to light, sound, or touch
- the sensation of being detached from your body
- psychosis (hallucinations, delusions, and delirium could happen)
- seizures
Since quitting alprazolam and other benzos can bring in these side effects, it is a good idea to join a benzodiazepine detox center in WV. There, you will be closely monitored by experienced professionals.
If you are suitable for MAT treatment, you will receive drugs such as buprenorphine and naltrexone to alleviate these symptoms. Professionals will closely administer these drugs so you don’t go from dependence on one drug to another.
How Do I Know If Xanax Detox Is the Right Step for Me?
Many people wonder what to expect at a Xanax detox center in West Virginia. So, let’s start from the very first step.
The first thing that will happen when you enter a Xanax detox center will be an assessment as to whether you are a right fit for Medication-Assisted Treatment. Addiction professionals will consider factors such as existing addictions to other substances and your motivation to quit. However, if you are overusing or misusing Xanax or if you think your use of this prescription drug is getting out of control, you’re right to consider this treatment as an option.
Over time, consuming Xanax in large quantities or for long periods of time can lead to:
- fatigue
- ataxia
- amnesia
- slurred speech
- excessive sedation
- poor concentration
- hypersensitivity
- irritability
You can also accidentally overdose on alprazolam, and it’s considered more toxic than other benzos.
How Do I Find the Right Detox Center in West Virginia?
Detox and rehab are a long-term, if not life-long, journey. The right rehabilitation center will understand this. What you should expect at a Xanax detox center in West Virginia is to get more than just detox. While you are being tapered, you should also receive:
- individual therapy for addiction
- group therapy for addiction
- dual diagnosis treatment if you suffer from co-occurring diseases
- skills and abilities to cope with real-life challenges
What to Expect at a Xanax Rehab Center Near You?
Here’s what you can expect at a Xanax detox center in West Virginia, such as Harmony Ridge Recovery Center:
- Initial evaluation
- Inpatient or outpatient treatment
- Evaluation for dual diagnosis
- Holistic treatment
- Counseling services
Initial Evaluation
As we have stated previously, you will first be assessed by a mental health professional who specializes in SUDs (Substance Use Disorders). MAT is not for everyone, so there will be factors determining whether you are the right fit for Xanax detox in West Virginia or not. They are:
- existing diagnoses, both mental and physical
- co-occurring addictions or misuse of substances
- your motivation to overcome your addiction will play a part
Inpatient or Outpatient Tapering of the Drug
“Tapering” is the medical process that consists of gradually reducing the amount of the drug that is administered. Alongside or right after tapering, you will also receive drugs that alleviate the withdrawal symptoms of Xanax. So, you may go through buprenorphine or naltrexone treatment. At Harmony Ridge, West Virginia, these drugs are closely administered by doctors to avoid excessive dependence or liver damage. Patients never have access to large doses of the drug while receiving treatment.
Admission specialists will also determine whether you need inpatient or outpatient treatment. One option for treatment is to live full-time at the facility in WV until treatment is over. Another option is partial hospitalization, in which you receive up to thirty hours of treatment a week while still living at home. During your assessment, you and your medical teams will decide together what’s the best option for you. After you have successfully completed Xanax detox, there are other options while you adapt to sober life.
Evaluation for a Dual Diagnosis
As many as 20% of adults in West Virginia have reported experiencing over 14 days of poor mental health in one month in 2022. Between 2018 and 2019, as many as 24.6% of adults in WV have reported any sort of mental illness, and 9.4% of adults in West Virginia have reported a major depressive episode between 2018 and 2019.
SUDs and addiction rarely occur in a vacuum. Individuals with diagnoses such as OCD, depression, anxiety, PTSD, CPTSD, and schizophrenia, among others, often also develop a substance addiction to manage the symptoms of the mental illness they are experiencing. This is why, in West Virginia, you should get treatment for Dual Diagnoses when applicable.
Even if you don’t qualify for a mental health diagnosis, you can still benefit from some form of therapy to address the environmental factors and family history that led you to develop dependence on benzodiazepines in the first place.
You Will Receive Holistic Treatment of the SUD
During your stay at Harmony Ridge, you will also receive holistic treatment so you can develop healthier hobbies and ways of coping with the trials and tribulations of life that are not destructive to either yourself or others. During your stay at our WV facilities, you’ll have access to:
- yoga classes
- meditation therapy
- art therapy for addiciton
- other enriching activities
Counseling for Adapting to Life Outside the Facility
At Harmony Ridge, we understand that SUD treatment doesn’t end at detox. There’s an intensive outpatient program available to you where you’ll attend three-hour meetings once a week.
Learn What to Expect at a Xanax Detox Center in West Virginia and Ask for Help
When you know what to expect at a Xanax detox center in West Virginia, asking for help is not that hard. The first step when you enter our facilities in WV is an initial assessment. Then, the tapering begins alongside therapy for addiction and other supportive services. You will also be assessed for a dual diagnosis. You will receive holistic treatment, and, finally, you will learn how to adapt to life outside the facility.
We hope we have eased your concerns about starting Xanax detox treatment in WV. Feel free to contact us if you have any further questions or comments.
Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5846112/#R46
